All Around Me
by fivexfive
Summary: Sara and Catherine are put together on a chilling new case. As the evidence piles up, the two women find themselves catapulted into a series of dangerous twists and turns that will make their job even more difficult. That and their budding romance. CS
1. Unfamiliar faces and worn out places

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from CSI._**

ALL AROUND ME

**Chapter 1 – Unfamiliar places and worn-out faces**

The sound of hair swishing back and forth on a smooth polyester surface reaches my ears long before she turns the corner completely. Only one person I know has hair that sounds that soft and full. And as recent times have proven, that sound of smooth hair is a false pretense for the stern and driven woman that I have fought with on more than one occasion.

I, Sara Sidle, know the sounds Catherine Willows makes when she walks.

The light and quick tapping of her boots on the smooth linoleum surface tells me that she is coming fast. Which means she's got a new case. The footsteps grow louder and louder with each passing second. My guess is that she'll be here in five seconds, give or take.

Five. _I wonder where the fire is. This must be one damn good case._

Four. _Will Grissom put us on this case together? I know that he senses the tension that's been between us lately. Who couldn't? _

Three. _It would be nice to be put on this case with her. Then maybe we can work some of our differences out. This fighting thing is getting old._

Two. _What I wouldn't give to just start over with her. Ever since Eddie's case, things have been…well…terrible for lack of a better descriptor._

One. _Pull yourself together Sidle. Smile on your face, chipper in your voice…_

"Morning Catherine. What's the haps? New case?" I try to smile through my gritted teeth. Never know what's going to set her off anymore.

"Hey Sara. New case indeed. DB at a casino. Two bullets in the skull," she replies, grim determination already creeping into her voice.

"Two for one special? Sounds like our guy got a bad deal."

"Well, our guy is actually a girl. Cocktail waitress. Looks like someone didn't like what she was serving." Catherine smirks as she looks me dead in the eye. "Grissom put us together on this one." My heart flutters a little at this statement. I really hope we can get through this one without any hair-pulling arguments.

I regain my composure and give Catherine an equally heavy stare. "Two heads are certainly better than one. Let's figure out what kind of person would think the same theory applies to bullets."

Catherine nods in silent agreement.

The two of us walk down the hallway to get the specifics on crime scene location. Our footsteps are uneven and sound out of tune as we reach our destination. Offbeat seems to be a perfect way to describe the two of us.

_What I wouldn't give to clear the air._

We pick up our evidence kits and head to the Denali. Catherine climbs into the driver seat and I make my way to the passenger side. I situate myself and adjust the seat so that I can give my legs some breathing room. Catherine starts the engine and turns to me, a soft sigh escaping her lips.

"Let's get the show on the road."

We make it to the casino in a little less than ten minutes. Memento Resort and Casino definitely falls short of its claim in its name. The spacious casino could hardly double as a resort. Though the colors are garish and bright, the actual atmosphere is gloomy and dilapidated. This might have once been a vibrant casino, but when competing with the rest of the blossoming city, the building lost a lot of its spark and charm.

Though the place was still bustling with activity, it didn't come close to the chaos of some of the more popular casinos. That sure as hell didn't keep it safe from the crime waves that seems to hit Las Vegas everyday.

Catherine and I step into the terribly decorated room and look around for the crime scene. We turn the corner and head across a room filled with slots and blackjack tables. Turning one more corner, following a sign that says "Poker Lounge" we reach our destination. As soon as we step into the room, it's like we are put on autopilot, protocol and procedures assuring that we have our gloves on and our senses alert. Catherine is the first to break the initial reverie of the intimidation a new crime scene gives me.

"Over here Sara," she beckons with her lithe hand. I follow her gesture and kneel down next to the very obviously dead victim. Two gory holes stared me in the face. The bullet wounds stood out against the girl's stark complexion. Blood had pooled around her head, drying in her hair fanned around her head like a black halo. It appeared that she was shot through each of her temples.

But what alarmed me more than the blood and viscera were the dark haunted eyes staring straight up at the ceiling; shock, confusion, and pain etched into every millimeter. Her mouth was rimed with cherry red lips forming a silent "O" of surprise. Looks like our girl wasn't expecting to be riddled with bullets today.

I inspect her open mouth closer, something white catching my eye. I take out my camera and photograph this new evidence and then reach in with my tweezers to remove the object. Catherine stops what she's doing and partakes in the deciphering of what this could be.

I fully remove the white object and identify it as a tightly rolled paper with a typed message emblazoned across its front.

Catherine grips my arm in surprise. The touch sends tingles from my wrist up my neck and back down my spine. Normally I would welcome such an electric touch, but the message on the paper has the bulk of my attention.

I hand the paper to Catherine, pull out my camera, and snap a few shots of the writing, before succumbing to a shudder.

It's funny how killers can have such a way with words.

It's funny how I know the words are going to haunt me for awhile.

"_Bullets and beauty lie in the eye of the beholder."_

And this girl was cursed to have both.

**_AN: So, I hope everyone enjoyed this. There will definitely be more to come. Let me know what you think! Please and thank you :_**


	2. Never fear for she is near

**Chapter 2 – Never fear, for she is near **

**Sara's POV**

I'm at home and in my shower, trying to wash away the grime of the crime scene Catherine and I processed earlier today. That was one rattling scene. Which really freaks me out because as far as they go, that one was clean and not very messy.

Those glassy brown eyes have seared themselves into my brain. The image of her mouth opened in pure horror makes its way into my mind in quick succession with the two gory holes in our victim's head.

Her name was Ashlyn Timmings. She was twenty-six years old. She was engaged. And now she is dead.

My mind flashes back to the scene again, doing a quick inventory of the evidence Catherine and I collected.

The slip of paper with the bold message was our first piece. It was in plain font, typed on a sort of waterproof paper. Nearly untraceable except for the series of numbers on the back. 24598. It was those numbers that gave the paper its uncanny resemblance to the fortune in a Chinese cookie. We bagged it and gave it to Ronnie to see what he can unearth about this document.

After an hour of tedious searching, we managed to uncover both bullets. We found one in the leg of a poker table, completely intact. The other was a little more on the crushed side. It was discovered in the wall of the casino embedded in a layer of thin sheet metal to support the wall. We sent the bullets to Bobby so he could do his crazy ballistics things and give us the makes of our guns.

Other than those few things, not much else was discovered at our scene. We know we are looking for two shooters and that's about it. Until the evidence is processed it looks like we are out of luck.

I give my hair one last rinse under the steady stream of warm water and attempt to wash away the last cruel shiver that courses through my veins at the thought of Ashlyn's cold dead eyes boring into my soul, begging me to find her killers.

Stepping out of the shower, I wrap a towel around my body and set another one in my hair. I raise my hand and wipe the steam from my mirror, giving me a hazy view of my perturbed expression. My eyebrows have knitted themselves together in what I suppose is my classic "anguished" look. My mouth is a tight line, unforgiving and unwavering.

I lean forward and rest my hand against the mirror and hang my head. _We need more evidence. More evidence. Just go Sidle, go back and find more._

I snap back to reality when the ringing telephone startles me from my mantra.

I hold the towel I wrapped around my body close to me to keep the warmth in as I exit my bathroom and head towards the sound resounding from my bedroom. I pick up the phone with a sigh and answer.

"Hello?" I venture.

"Sara?" One word from the other person and her identity is clear. That husky voice belongs to none other than Catherine Willows. My arch nemesis three days a week.

"Hey Catherine," I simply respond. I'm completely baffled as to why she would call my house. I didn't even think she had my number.

"Sara…I…" she falters a second and it's then that I realize something must be up. "Sara, I…I can't stop thinking about the case. I can't stop seeing her face in my mind."

I blink and then close my eyes tight, seeing Ashlyn again. "Me neither. She just seems so, I don't know, different."

"I know what you mean," Catherine replies. "I just have this gut feeling that this was a random act of violence. I'm worried we won't put her killers behind bars."

"Catherine…" I begin, but I am at a loss. I wouldn't know what to say to anyone who said something like this to me. I'm no good at talking about emotions, even though I am probably one of the most emotional people I know. And to really make things more difficult, it's **her** that I'm trying to console. **She hates me.**

I suck in a breath and try again. "Catherine, you're the best damn CSI I've had the pleasure of working with. If you don't find something, than the world is going to end or something equally as drastic will happen. Like Grissom developing a sudden fear of bugs or Greg finally stopping his endless efforts at picking up every woman he lays eyes on."

Catherine chuckles at the other end. Good, she's smiling. Crisis averted. "Thanks Sara. Really. I don't even know why I called. It just seemed like the right thing to do at the moment. Lindsey's in school and the house just seemed so empty. I was just sitting here thinking about the case. Wondering if you were as affected as I was."

Wow. Her words speak volumes of her true emotions on this case. It must REALLY be bothering her if she was thinking about me.

"It's safe to say I think I am."

Silence.

"Sara?" Catherine's voice wavers as my name leaves her tongue. "Do you think that maybe we can just suck it up and not kill each other on this case?"

And there we have it. A peace offering. I've only been waiting for this since the day I stepped into the Crime Lab and Catherine shot me her first of many unwelcoming stares.

"I thought you'd never ask," I respond to her. I hear her soft sigh at the other end.

"Want to meet back at the resort? Maybe look for more evidence?"

"Are those the sweet sounds of overtime calling my name?" I ask her back.

"I do believe so, Sidle. That and the cacophony of justice."

I grin at her sarcastic tone that has crept back into her voice. Her insecure talk before was really freaking me out.

And before I can help myself, my lamest moment of my life thus far rears its ugly head and forces me to respond: "Never fear, sweet justice. Super Sidle is here."

My cheeks instantly blaze with the red-hot fire of shame. I allow myself to hear Catherine's loud guffaw before quickly hanging up the phone and letting embarrassment have its evil way with me.

**Catherine's POV**

I'm not sure why I called Sara. I was sitting at my tiny dinette table in the kitchen, silently cataloging the evidence and wracking my brain for answers to this already worrisome case.

Something about this scene was so eerie, like the perps were trying to tell us in some way that this was just the first in many of a series of similarly disturbing cases.

It felt like they were taunting us. Saying, "Look we can put two bullets in an innocent girl's head at the same time, anytime we want. There's no way in hell you are going to find us".

I hate that.

I hate this.

To top it all off, I'm working this case with none other than the enigma known as Sara Sidle. For whatever reason, that woman makes me more emotionally unstable than a loony in a padded cell. I can't seem to control my tongue around her, and I think I'm starting to understand why.

After our phone conversation, I think I might have realized something important. Sara Sidle was never out to get me.

I'm beginning to think that the real reason I have fought her for so long is that she has threatened everything I have worked for. She's strong, independent, and brilliant. I think I have always picked on her to take her down a notch in my head. Put us on the same level.

When I called her, freaked as hell about this case, she didn't use my weak moment against me, and I think that is what spurred the sudden peace offering. It's about damn time I handed her the olive branch.

Yeah, I definitely think I realized something important. Sara Sidle is not the devil. Sara Sidle never was the enemy. Sara Sidle can calm me down in seconds.

And damn, Super Sidle would be hotter than Wonder Woman without even trying.

And she can save me any day.

**AN: Hope everyone enjoyed it!! Let me know what you think :**


	3. Double take

**Chapter 3 – Double take**

**Sara's POV**

In a little less than thirty minutes I have pulled my car up to the entranceway of the Memento. I see Catherine's black Denali parked a few spaces down. Seeing her car and noting its vacancy I walk past it and into the darkened interior of the casino.

I walk the route I was becoming quite familiar with and made my way to the poker lounges. I open the door to the room that contains one of the most disturbing crime scenes I have witnessed in quite a while. Sometimes I wish beyond all wishes that I could go for months without having to process a single scene; not because I hate working, but because maybe then I wouldn't feel like I was living in a constant war zone.

Although the death toll is a lot lower than a war, the animalistic act of killing is all the same. Except these people don't even kill for their country. No…they kill for their own well being: greed, envy, lust…

My job sickens me. The fact that this is what I'm good at, processing a scene of destruction, of one person's will to ruin the life of another, that fact keeps me up at night. Sometimes I just wish I could be good at something else because there was no need for a CSI.

"Lost in space?" a sultry voice calls from the other side of the room. I snap myself from my sordid thoughts and glance at Catherine's kneeling figure. _Nope, not lost, just looking for the quickest route to catch a glimpse of Uranus._

"Naw," I say. "Just took a wrong turn a few galaxies back." I saunter up beside my fellow CSI and kneel down to her level. "Find anything good yet?"

"Actually, I think I might have found something we missed. Something very important. Think Sasquatch, er rather Bigfoot." I peer closely at what Catherine was motionaing towards and saw a rather large boot print indented into the soft fluffy carpet of the old casino's floor.

Catherine continues her observation. "After navigating the path of the bullet, I traced it back to this corner of the room. Then I saw the boot print. Looks like our killers were laying in wait for their kill, definitely premeditated. There goes my theory about this just being a random act."

I nod my head in agreement with my strawberry blonde partner. "Find anything else yet?"

Catherine points in the adjacent corner of the room. "Similar boot prints on the other side."

My thoughts click into place. "Confirms the theory of two guys. As if the two bullets shot at the same time weren't enough to prove that."

Doctor Robbins analyzed the body earlier today. He disclosed some startling observations to us. The two bullets were fired within seconds of each other. Each shot was so precise that the bullet exited the other side of her head mere millimeters from the other projectile's entry, adding to the appearance of a single hole in each temple.

The sudden realization that these guys were good, and damn good at that caused my body to shudder involuntarily.

"You ok?" Catherine asks. Her bright eyes meet mine and I try my damndest to shake off the trickle of fear I let enter my head.

"Yeah. Great. Perfect." I respond as I flash a cheesy smile her way.

"Uh huh sure. And you just shivered because it's cold in this wonderful summer day in Nevada."

"Is it suddenly a crime to get a chill and respond to it?" I ask, more sarcastically than I meant to.

"No, but it is unethical to just stand there catching flies while there's a crime scene to process," Catherine bites back.

I knew the peace couldn't last. It never does.

"Fine, then, just let me get out of your hair while I scour the other corner for other evidence."

"Be my guest," Catherine says as she waves her hand in the general direction of the corner I have just ostracized myself to.

"Couldn't be happier." I meander to the isolated corner and begin digging for new clues to help us find the sadistic sons of bitches that killed that girl.

After half an hour of searching, I find a few black fibers inconsistent with the uniforms of the casino employees within a foot radius of the oversized boot print. Other than that though, there really wasn't anything else to discover. I stand wondering if Catherine had been more successful than I had, but I am afraid to break the uncomfortably heavy silence that had fallen between us.

Thankfully, the sound of Catherine's phone going off did that for us. She answers with a quick flick of her hand.

"Willows. Uh huh. Just looking around a little more. Not too sure what else there is to find." Silence. "Oh really? Thanks Gil. See you back at the lab."

The conversation lasts less than two minutes, but I can tell whatever Grissom had told Catherine was good news.

"What's the haps?" I asked from my place in the corner.

Catherine shot me one of those smirks that make me smile before I even know what she is going to say. "Ronnie finished processing that slip of paper we found in Ashlyn's mouth. It's made of the same paper that is used to print the fortunes inside of a fortune cookie. It had a very specific stitch pattern that is only produced in a handful for factories. Nick and Warrick are looking at receipts for recent purchases, but I don't really know what they are expecting to find. There's not quite enough to go on, but hey it's a start."

I'm quiet for a moment as I choose my next words carefully. "Catherine? I just wanted to apologize for earlier. I didn't mean to bite at you so quickly. This case just has me wound so tightly."

Her face lights up again. "It's ok. And for the record, I am too. I just have one favor to ask you."

Hmmm, I wonder what the great Catherine Willows wants of little ol' me.

"Sure, what do you have in mind?"

Catherine looks me straight in the eyes. "Don't shut me out. If we are going to get along on this case we are going to need to be completely honest and open with each other."

"Sure thing. I'll try. It's not exactly my best quality."

Catherine gets that playful glimpse in her eye. "No it's not." My bashful smile fades a little, mentally preparing myself for her to berate me with a catalogue of my flaws. "Being open is not your best quality. Your ass is."

My ears do a double take as my mind tries to comprehend what Catherine just told me. But my brain barely has time to register her words before the next ones knock me senseless.

"Oh and Sara? Bite as hard as you want next time. A little pain is pleasure."

And with that, Catherine Willows turns and swaggers from the room.

**AN: Alright. Thanks for staying with me…sorry its taking so long to get these chapters out :) ****I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you think please. It's always greatly appreciated.**


	4. Grind Into Me

**Chapter 4 – Grind Into Me**

**Catherine's POV**

What has come over me? I don't think that I am completely sure of what just came out of my mouth a few hours earlier.

Sara Sidle…what do you do to me?

It seems that my little revelation of Sara not being the devil has grown exponentially into the telltale signs of me flirting with her.

Me. Catherine Willows, flirting uncontrollably with someone I fight with eight days a week.

I'll ask myself only once more today.

What in the hell has come over me?

**Sara's POV**

What the hell has come over her? My mind is still reeling from the blow it took when Catherine essentially told me to nibble her to death.

And that she found my ass endearing.

Maybe she wants me to nibble her ass…er…

_Catherine Willows just flirted with me….!_

The thought finally hit my perplexed mind for what it was. It accepted it at face value, and then tried to sell it to the comprehension part of my brain for a discounted price.

Catherine Willows. Sexy strawberry blonde bombshell…husky voice and all just flirted with me. Gap-toothed, plain old Sara Sidle.

Is it international Confusion Day? Am I subconsciously allowing my daydreams to project themselves into a not so real reality? Stranger things are certainly possible.

I mean, there couldn't have been something that turned me on more than that. I've had a horrible crush on Catherine since the day I stepped foot in this lab. And yes, I absolutely mean horrible. How could anything be more terrible than drooling over a colleague who has absolutely no interest in you that way? And better yet, a colleague that likes to take you down a notch every time you work with her?

And speaking of notches, my bedpost has been seriously lacking in them lately. That being said, it's not like I sleep around with a lot of people, I've had a serious drought when it comes to relationships. Hank was the last one I had…and for a guy that saves lives, he sure ruined my sex life for a long time.

It had been along time since I dated a guy. I thought maybe Hank was a little different. He was so sweet and polite. And then BAM! He's a big cheater who can suck a fat one.

And I'm back to swearing off men.

Alright back to the present. Catherine and I are walking briskly out of the casino. I think we've both had our fill of this crime scene. I don't think there is anything left to be found there.

I really want to get those bastards.

"Wanna grab some coffee?" Catherine asks smoothly.

"I would…yes…sure" I mumbled incoherently. Seems my mind is still a little messed up after all.

Catherine chuckles. "I think that was some form of the human language meaning yes, you would love to."

My cheeks redden again. I decide to stay silent until we climb into our cars. And Catherine says something that forces a response full of stutters once again.

"Grind Into Me?" Catherine asks with her sultry voice.

"Wha…What?" I ask back. Did she just ask me to…. to fornicate with her?

Catherine smirks and I know she's thinking what I'm thinking. "The coffee place…Grind Into Me? Meet me there in ten?"

Oh God.

Sometimes I hate everything.

* * *

We arrive at the horrendously named Grind Into Me coffee shop in eight minutes. My mind has been scolding itself nonstop for the last seven and a half minutes. I needed the thirty seconds to recover after the plethora of shocks my dirty mind sent me of grinding and Catherine.

We walk to a table for two near the window. We take our seats and I fold my hands in front of me on the table. A waitress comes around.

"What can I get for you ladies today?" she asks in a semi-southern drawl.

"I'll have a latte, extra cream please," Catherine orders with a slight smile.

The waitress turns to me. "And how about you?"

"I'll have the house brew. Black please," I responded, politely smiling her way. I decided I need something strong to help my mind start to make sense of itself.

The waitress turns and leaves, her hips swaying in her green smock as she places our orders with the barrista.

With her departure, Catherine faces me, a broad grin on her face.

"So Sidle. I want to know everything. Absolutely everything about you. And don't you even think about skipping the little details. I'm a CSI. I'll know." Wow, she sure does jump into things with both feet.

I decide to be sly back. No more of this nonsense stuttering and making a fool of myself.

"Well, that depends on what you want to know. I'm just so interestingly amazing that I could drone on for hours about myself," I respond saying that last part with an exaggerated snobbish accent.

Catherine's eyes twinkle back at me. "Ok, let's play a game." _A game? Does this game include bondage and whips?_

"Alright, what exactly do you have in mind?"

"I was thinking we could play two truths and a lie. You tell me three things about yourself and I'll try to guess which one the lie is."

"Hmm," I say out loud as I begin to think of what I want to tell her. "Alright. I play guitar and sing songs to myself every night. I have a fear of waking up someday and being the only person left on Earth. And I have a tremendous crush on someone in the lab."

**Catherine's POV**

Well let's see here. Three very interesting statements indeed. I ponder them for a while, trying to come up with what the lie could possibly be. I know she has had that huge desire for Gil since before she came to the lab. So that's one truth. I've heard the girl sing before. And my God she has a voice. So the first statement is certainly plausible. But that fear that she has is a very normal fear, she could easily be afraid of that.

"I dunno, Sidle, you have me stumped. A little help here?"

Sara looks at me and blinks a few times before explaining. "The fear was a lie," she says sadly. "I don't mean to get all morbid on you, but sometimes I just feel so lonely. Like I'm already the last person on Earth. No phone calls, no visits, it's crazy how much I feel like the only living soul sometimes." Sara finishes and bows her head slightly.

"Oh Sara," I stutter out. My heart breaks for slightly. "How could a wonderful woman like yourself feel so lonely? How could people not want to be with you?"

"I don't know Cath. I think I'm defective."

"I don't think so Sidle…don't even go there. You know that crush you have in the lab? I'm sure Gil will realize how amazing you are someday. I don't know how he couldn't." It pains me a little to say this. It's becoming clear to me that I don't really like the idea of Sara with anyone who isn't me. Where did all this come from? Just days ago I thought I loathed her...but now…I can't seem to think of her without pairing her name with the word "desire".

Sara looks up at me with sad eyes. She takes a deep breath, like she's about to say something that's hard for her.

"Cath…I don't give a rat's ass about Gil. That ship sailed a long time ago. And I think it crashed into an iceberg somewhere. It's never coming back." Interesting. Very interesting.

"So has a new ship come along? Nick, Warrick, or god forbid Greg? And please please please don't say it's Hodges."

"Well…I don't really know how to say this. But I'm not really into their whole scene."

"What scene?"

"You know, the whole, them being guys thing."

And that stopped me. Completely floored me. Sara wasn't as into guys as I thought. As in not into them at all.

"Oh um…" I start. I feel a ramble coming along. "So then who have you had this crush on…Sofia? She's really beautiful. I mean, she's got that hint of an exotic accent. Great cheekbones. And…and…"

"CATH!" Sara interrupts, red-faced. "I don't have a thing for Sofia, although she is very good-looking."

"Ok…" I move my hands in a confused manner. "So then? Who's the lucky gal?"

Sara takes another deep breath, steeling herself for her next response.

"Catherine, I have wanted you since the moment I laid eyes on you."

And I'm floored again. Mouth open, eyes bugged out. I look across the table intently at Sara; her eyes appear to be wild and full of terror…terror?

**Sara's POV**

I can't believe I just told Catherine that. She is going to freak. She's going to hate me.

I look at her and her wide eyes. Then I look past her wide eyes and see a car driving past the coffee shop window. Much to my disbelief, I see the muzzle of two guns pointing out the window in our direction.

Everything happens in slow motion.

I see a flash of light appear from both guns as bullets are squeezed from the barrels. I leap across the table and cover Catherine's lithe frame with my body. A split second later, glass rains around us as the bullets penetrate the window. I feel several hot flashes of pain.

As quickly as it began, everything stops.

Silence.

**AN: I am SO sorry it took me such a long time to update. School finally started and I am swamped with work. But I think I have a routine down now, so the updates will come a little faster hopefully.**

**Please please review. I hope you all still care :( Thanks!**


	5. It Just Slammed Into Me

**Chapter 5 – It Just Slammed Into Me**

**Sara's POV**

Oh for the love of God. I come in for coffee and end up getting a glass shower.

The bullets rained down around us. I heard Cath yelp a little, she might have been hit, hopefully nowhere vital. At least two of the bullets grazed my back and another one is in my shoulder. I can feel it stuck in there. The low caliber kept it from going through, but I can feel it grating against my bone whenever I move.

Not to mention that damned glass cut me up.

Does anyone else see the cosmic shitball this turned out to be? I tell Cath my deep dark secret, that I've had a crush on her since the beginning of time, and then we get shot at.

If that's not a mood killer, I don't know what is.

"You alright Cath?" I ask as I struggle to sit up straight. I open my eyes to look across the table at Catherine. Her skin is pale, her breathing shallow, and her eyes are wide open.

She finally takes a deep breath and responds. "I think I'm ok," is her short and unsteady answer. She blinks her eyes a few times, as if trying to adjust to reality. A few silent moments pass as I do the same. Finally she speaks up again. "Were you hit?" she asks.

I take a deep breath, trying to keep my voice from shaking, and making myself sound weak. "Shoulder," I manage to say between my teeth clenched in pain. Cath's eyes narrow and she stands up on surely shaky legs. She walks over and slides her way into my side of the booth.

"Can I see?" she asks hesitantly.

I nod my head in response. I don't really want to look at it. I turn my body towards her and she slowly and carefully peels off my jacket. Once the article is off my body, she moves the collar of my shirt down to get a good look at the wound. The damned thing is throbbing like a jackhammer, and I can feel the steady trail of blood running down my arm and spilling over my back.

Cath gasps at the sight, so I chance a look at the wound. It's ugly. I've seen plenty of bullet wounds before, but there is something so much different about it when it's on your own body, and it's black oozing center is taking up residence in your shoulder. I suddenly feel nauseous. I close my eyes tightly against the wave of dizziness that passes over me. My breath begin to come out shallower and my head dips down to my chest; I feel far too weak to hold my head up. _It's just the nausea, it's just the nausea_ I tell myself over and over, convincing myself I'm fine and there's no need to go into any kind of shock.

I feel Cath's probing hands on my shoulder, wrapping one of the table napkins around it trying to stem the flow of blood. All I can do is moan a little as the pressure in my shoulder grows. I force my eyes open again and find myself staring into Catherine's beautiful orbs.

She reaches up to my cheek and cups it in her bloody hand. Her eyes become my points of fixture. I fear that if I drop my stare from her steady gaze I might close my eyes and pass out.

The room is still a tilt-a-whirl and I'm stuck in the middle of a storm.

_It's just the nausea; it's just the nausea._

_It's just the nausea; it's just the nausea._

After chanting to myself for the better part of a minute, the spinning passes and I am still staring into those sky blue eyes.

Clarity.

**Catherine's POV**

It took a few minutes, but the cloudiness in her eyes finally washed itself away. I was beginning to get really worried. My best guess is that the pain knocked her silly for a few minutes. It must have hurt like a bitch when I tied off the makeshift tourniquet on her arm.

When it seemed that she returned to a more focused state, I figured it would be a good idea to get her talking, keep her alert and try to keep her mind off the pain until the ambulance got here. I could faintly hear sirens in the distance; that sound has never sounded sweeter in my life. With the traffic in Vegas a two-mile drive could take upward to ten minutes or so.

I know deep down that Sara's injuries aren't life threatening, but I just want her pain to stop. I mean, after all, she did get shot leaping across the table to cover me with her body. And what a heroic move that was.

She could have been killed.

For me.

I clear my throat. "Hey Sara, wanna keep playing that game? My turn this time?"

She slowly nods her head up and down.

"Alright let's see here," I begin trying to come up with something interesting to keep her attention on me and not on her bullet wound. "I try to keep change from happening at all costs, two of the guys at the lab have seen my breasts, and I'm staring at my own personal Wonder Woman right now."

She pauses, deep in thought trying to figure out which one is the lie. Her concentration wavers and she pulls her deep brown eyes back up to me.

"I don't know Cath. Blood loss is making me a little woozy here."

"So you want me to just give you the answer? Is this the infamous Sara Sidle giving up on me here?"

Sara rolls her eyes—a good sign in my opinion. If her sass is coming back then she is going to be just fine.

"C'mon Cath, I 'just gave' you my answers too. And you didn't even have a hole in your shoulder," Sara retorts.

I decide to give in, best not to get her frustrated right now.

"Alright, alright. Doc Robbins saw my breasts after an extremely disgusting autopsy that involved me getting the stomach contents of a three hundred pound man on me—his stomach literally sprayed when Robbins went to open it. It went all over me and I got so grossed out that I just ripped my lab coat off. I meant to just get the coat but apparently my bra strap got stuck to the lining on the inside."

Sara guffawed. "So while you died from embarrassment Robbins got to have a post-mortem examination

that he actually enjoyed?"

"Glad to see you're feeling better," I grumbled.

"Alright little miss grumpy, and the other time?"

I chuckled a little recalling the memory. "Nick, Warrick and I went over to Nick's house once and had a few drinks. We decided to go into the pool, which probably wasn't the best idea seeing that we were borderline piss-ass drunk. I went into the bathroom to change and was just putting on my bikini top when Nick pushes through the door and falls flat on his face. I guess he tripped on something in the hall and broke through the lock on the door when he fell over."

"What?!" Sara squeaked. "A likely story."

"Well I'm inclined to believe it was actually all a mistake. The look on Nick's face was priceless. You know that expression he gets when someone makes fun of him? Like a little kid who just wet himself at a sleepover? Yeah well the look on his face was that multiplied ten times. The whole next day he avoided me. He claims he doesn't remember, that he had too much to drink, but somehow I really, really don't think so."

"Lucky man," I could have sworn I heard Sara mutter under her breath.

"What was that Sara?"

She looks surprised that I heard her. "I said 'Ugh, man'," I give her a look that says I don't believe her, which I don't. "My shoulder," she explains. "But that's really great. I hope he knows that he is going to get so much crap now."

"Ok, just don't embarrass him too much, I don't think the Texas gentleman in him can take that much."

"Alright, alright. Ok so what's the other truth?"

"Well, you did save me just now. Sara Sidle Wonder Woman."

Sara's cheeks blush pink. "Aw c'mon Cath. Anyone would have done it for you. I just had the distinct pleasure of being the one to see the car first. Speaking of, we need to get the guys out here. This is obviously related to our case."

I don't want Sara pushing herself too hard right now. "Let's talk case later alright?"

"Ok, if you say so." I can hear the ambulance getting closer. It should be here in less than a minute now. "What about that last one? You do like change after all?"

I get ready to explain my lie to her. "Well I'm not change's biggest fan. But I think there are a couple things in my life I'd like to change."

Sara's eyes get that inquisitive look in them that I enjoy so much. "Like what?" she presses on for more information.

"Well for starters, I'm glad that we have changed and haven't fought recently."

"I agree completely. A great change indeed," Sara responds satisfactorily.

I nod and continue. "And then there are some plans I want to change too."

That questioning look is flaring up strong in Sara's eyes. "Oh yeah? Anything I can help you with?"

"Oh yes. In fact you are just the person I was hoping to make plans with."

"What kind of plans?" Sara asks carefully.

"Dinner plans perhaps?" I can't believe I'm being so bold. But hey, I have to keep her mind off the pain right?

"Are you serious Cath, or are you just trying to distract me?" she asks hesitantly as if reading my mind.

I paused for a moment to think about her question. Maybe the change I want to make is a little bigger than just trying to be friends with her. Maybe I want…

…It just slammed into me.

I really do want this. I want this with her. With Sara.

"Completely serious," I reply, a grin plastered across my face.

**Sara's POV**

A sharp twinge of pain struck me in my shoulder. But that was the least important of the things on my mind. Did Catherine just say she wanted to go on a date with me?

Maybe this day wasn't a cosmic shitball after all.

I quickly try to recover from my shock. "Ok then. In that case, I completely seriously accept your offer."

"Alright then, it's a date," Catherine replied, a coy smile on her face.

At that moment the ambulance finally pulled up to the coffee shop. Catherine helped me to my feet and we slowly made our way outside, careful to avoid the shards of glass. We walked to the door, cautiously ignoring the crowd that had gathered outside.

"About time," Catherine grumbles as the ambulance opened its back doors. She turns and helps me up and into the back of the unit. The movement jars my body and my shoulder flares up again. I close my eyes for a second and when I open them the first thing that catches my eye is something I've tried my very hardest to forget.

Standing over by the stretcher in the middle of the ambulance is none other than Mr. Try-To-Save-Lives-But-Ruin-Them-Instead-Cause-He's-An-Asshole.

Catherine grabs my hand to comfort me.

"Nice to see you again Hank."

**AN: Alright, sorry guys…I know it's been a long time :[ Hopefully I made up for it a little bit with a longer chapter here. Let me know what you think of it. I would really appreciate it. Thanks again!**


	6. The Wahmbulance

******Dislaimer: Still don't own them**

**Chapter 6 – The Wah-mbulance**

**(Sara's POV)**

Well, this is completely and totally uncomfortable. And I don't just mean the bullet hole in my shoulder. No, this is far more uncomfortable than this wound could ever be. Here I am, nearly topless in the back of an ambulance with Hank, the last man I ever vowed to date, poking and prodding me.

I'm not even sure if I'm shaking because my shoulder hurts or if it's because he-who-broke-my-heart is within two inches of my face, and I can smell his pretty-boy cologne. Or it could also be because Catherine is still holding my hand, rubbing small circles onto the top of my knuckles with her thumb, and I can also smell her lovely perfume wafting over me. Even after being shot at she still smells like a Goddess.

"Everything alright Sara?" she asks quietly from her position beside me.

I grit my teeth against the pain, as Hank digs a needle into my shoulder, shooting it up with antibiotics. "Just fine and dandy," I respond, trying not to let the pain reach my voice. God only knows I don't want to look weak in front of Cath and Hank.

Hank clears his throat and finally speaks up. "How have you been?" he asks, sounding like he regretted asking the question almost immediately.

"Oh you know, just off fighting crime and catching baddies. The usual," is my less than casual response. "And how about yourself?" I really don't want to hear the answer, but it's only polite right?

Hank scribbles some notes about my blood pressure into a little notepad. "Same ol', same ol'" he less than enthusiastically responds. So I guess it's not just me who desperately wants out of this situation.

"So, you're still hooking up with girls and cheating on your current girlfriend then? Good to see that some things never change." I whip my head to the left of me, immediately regretting my decision to move so fast as the ambulance swirls in my head. When the world rights itself again, I'm still staring, open-mouthed, at Catherine, who just surprised the living hell out of me.

Catherine shrugs her shoulders, clearly mistaking my surprise for admonishment. "What? Once a slimy bastard, always a slimy bastard."

I snort. "Cath! I don't think it's such a good idea to be saying things like that about a person who has a needle shoved into my arm right now."

Hank shuffles a little beside me. "It's ok Sara, I do deserve it.."

Cath straightens next to me. "Damn straight you deserve it! You really think you can just get away with treating people like that? Is your personal need to get laid and lead people on constantly overwhelming your desire to be a moral human? I mean honestly…what the fu –"

"OW!" I yelp a little as Hank's hand begins to shake and he rubs unmercifully against the raw edges of the bullet wound.

"Sorry…I, I'm…I'm sorry," he manages to stutter out. Cath continues to glare daggers at him, as I silently pray that the earth will just open up and swallow me whole.

Thankfully right when this ride is reaching its climax of tension, we pull up to the ambulance bay at Desert Palms hospital. About time. The door to the back of the ambulance opens up and Hank steps out, passing his notepad over to the ER assistant that's waiting for us. Cath comes out next, stepping down gently and reaching her hand up for me to help me down.

At this point I just want to get this bullet out of me, get stitched up and go home, but something tells me that won't be happening anytime soon. As I walk into the hospital, it seems that everyone and their mother is in here already. I know that Las Vegas has a lot of crime, but this just seems ridiculous. Luckily, I'm pretty sure that a gun shot wound trumps broken finger, so hopefully it won't be too long

Cath and I take a seat near the receptionist desk – it really is amazing we were able to find two next to each other. Hank is talking to the assistant, probably filling her in on the extent of Cath's and my wounds. And maybe telling her to get a mild sedative for my vivacious strawberry blonde partner who looks ready to chew the head off of anyone that crosses us.

Oh Catherine…

**(Catherine's POV)**

I'm still fuming from the ambulance ride. I mean, I know that Hank didn't even really say anything to Sara to get me agitated, but I was really just upset that Sara, who had just saved my life, had to sit in the back of a bumpy ambulance with a hole in her shoulder and a crappy ex-boyfriend. That's almost as uncomfortable as sitting on a bed of hot coals listening to Cher for five hours.

I know that Sara isn't the type of girl that wants to be saved or stood up for, but what I have also seen over the years is that Sara has a weak point when it comes to matters of the heart. When Hank screwed her over, she was unsettlingly grave during our shifts together. She was somber in a way I had never seen her before, and she also wouldn't speak her mind. It got to the point that our catfights came to a standstill even. Seems that the inner bitch in the both of us really did know when to stop, contrary to popular belief.

So when I saw her there, grinding her teeth on top of the gurney, slight tremors rocking her well-toned frame, and stoically trying to socialize with the last person to break her heart, something in me snapped.

But I'm not regretful, I'm not mad at myself. I only wish I had a chance to show Hank the backside of my hand without getting in trouble.

"Sidle? Sara Sidle?" an ER nurse calls out. Seems we didn't have to wait long at all to be seen. I stand up and help Sara to her feet and the two of us walk slowly to the first curtained off room the nurse shows us to.

The small blonde nurse peeked at our charts before opening her mouth. "Ok, Ms. Sidle? How about you hop up here on the bed. Ms. Willows, would you mind sitting in this chair?" she asks as she pulls over an uncomfortable looking plastic seat.

"No problem," I respond and watch as Sara hastily climbs atop the small bed.

The nurse looks at the two of us apologetically. "Sorry for the congestion, but since you two came in together, and the ER is so crowded, would it be ok if you shared a room? If either one of you has a confidentiality issue, I can go look for another available room."

"No, it's fine," Sara replies quickly. "It's always fun to get stitched up together." She sends a grin my way, and I smile back at her.

The nurse chuckles slightly. "Well, the doctors will be in any minute now. Just hold tight and try to stay relaxed." She places the clipboard on the foot of the bed, and closes the curtain on her way out.

I look over at Sara who is visibly pale. A thin sheen of sweat has made itself noticeable on her forehead, and her breathing seems short and pained. "You alright over there?" I ask her, voice full of concern.

**(Sara's POV)**

It takes me a second to realize that Cath is talking to me. Ever since we made our way into this room, the world has started spinning again. My skin is really clammy and it feels like little needles are pricking themselves all over my skin. In fact, it feels like a have a whole porcupine shoved into the precipice of my shoulder.

"Oh yeah, doin' great over here Cath," I respond, trying to sound more confident than I feel.

Catherine huffs a little. "Sara, you don't have to be tough for me. I know it hurts."

I really don't want to show any signs of weakness to Cath. I want to be strong for her.

"C'mon," she urges. "Look at me."

I raise my head slowly and meet her gaze, trying to reassure her through my eyes that I'm ok. Her steely glare meets my stare, and I'm taken aback at the fire in her eyes. It seems she isn't kidding. I'm way too exhausted to keep up this charade anyway.

I sigh. "It hurts, ok? I just want to get this damn thing out of me already."

Cath smiles a little bit, glad that she won this battle. "See, now was that so hard?"

"Yes. In fact, it was. Very hard." I bite back, the pain and agitation creeping into my voice.

Cath contemplates my edgy response. "Why is it so hard for you to admit you need help?" she asks calmly, catching me off guard. I would have never guessed that she would prey on my weakness and try to get me to open up now of all times. Although, thinking about it, it is perfectly logical.

I sit and try to think of how to carefully dodge the question. Finally, my mind runs out of options. I don't know if it's the blood loss or if I really do just want to open up, but something causes me to respond a bit more truthfully than I intended.

"Because I want to be your wall. I want to be the person that you can count on not to break, not to run screaming in the other direction. I want to be that woman that will always pick you up, but never bring you down. I want to protect you." Cath is staring at me, her eyes a little misty. And before I can stop myself, I open my mouth again, caught up in the moment of all this truth telling.

"Cath…I want to love you."

**AN: I know, I know I'm a HORRIBLE person. I truly do apologize for the long wait. If it's any consolation, I have the next chapter mostly written...so it will be up in your next lifetime (if you still care of course). Sorry again!**


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